A Green New World : How the Real Estate Sector is Working with Sustainable Financing in Regard to the EU Taxonomy

Abstract: The EU Taxonomy is a new regulation produced to set a European standard for sustainable investments and to allocate capital for a sustainable transition. The Taxonomy aims to regulate several sectors, one of which is the real estate sector. Due to it functioning as a classification system, the EU Taxonomy will play an essential role for companies seeking financing. This thesis explores how Swedish and Baltic real estate companies intend to work with sustainable finance given this new regulation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with companies within the real estate sector and government agencies from Sweden and the Baltic countries, in order to get a holistic view of the situation in these regions. Through research it has been found that the EU Taxonomy will continue to encourage the work with sustainability for companies even though there are some uncertainties with the regulation as of now. Current financial instruments, such as green bonds, are likely to continue to be emitted but will probably be connected with the EU Taxonomy. New financial products will be developed with the help of the Taxonomy. There are however differences in attitudes and actions regarding sustainable financing in Sweden and the Baltics. Sweden has come further with green financing, but the interest is high in the Baltics and sustainable financing is likely to evolve in the region in the near future. The research finds that there is a concern that smaller companies will have difficulties to keep up the pace of sustainability given the Taxonomy, especially if they recently have begun their work with sustainability. Even though the EU Taxonomy has received criticism for not including green building certifications, the general attitude is positive in that the Taxonomy will imply a common and cross-border definition of the term “sustainability”.